Oscillograph



March 2, 1937. J, B SHERMAN 2,072,653

OSCILLOGRAPH Filed Deo. l2, l1934 M5555 5 @MFR/WAM INVENTOR y WITNESS:

Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical apparatus and more particularly it pertains to such devices as are commonly known as oscillographs.

5 It is the primary object of this invention to improve the construction and mode of operation of oscillographs and to construct such machines in such a manner that they are highly eflicient for the purpose intended.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a plurality of slotted masks independently supported by electrical conductors within a magnetic eld in such a manner that variations in the currents traversing the two conductors will l5 effect a relative movement of the masks carried by the conductors. c

c Another feature of the invention resides in mounting the masks in such manner that the slots thereof intersect each other and the provision of a source of light, the beam of which is projected through the intersected slots to impress a spot of light upon a screen upon which the beam of light is projected.

Other features of the invention relate to certain novel and improved constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

'I'he invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a device embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view,

Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a portion of 40 the device in which the invention is embodied,

Figure 4 is a detail perspective View on an enlarged scale, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring specifically to the drawing and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the reference characters IIJ and II designate two coils employed in the apparatus to create a magnetic field, the coils being arranged in axially aligned spaced re- 50 lation to each other. These coils are preferably axially bored to permit of the projection therethrough of .a beam of light originating at a suit* 'able source I2, the path of said beam being indicated by the dot and dash line A. A suitable 55 optical system including a microscope I3 and a prism I4 may be employed to project the light beam .upon a screen I5.

A device embodying the present invention includes a plurality of independent electrical conductors upon which slotted masks are carried, and these parts are so arranged that the electrical conductors are positioned in the magnetic field of the coils I0 and II with the slots of the masks intersecting each other in the path A of the aforementioned light beam.

In the accompanying drawing, the electrical conductors are designated 20 and 2I and are supported upon a suitable frame or panel 22 of suitable insulating material, shown in detail in Figure 3.- The panel 22 is cut away to provide two eX- vtensions 23 and 24, and the conductors 20 and 2I bridge the space between the extensions 23 and 24 in intersecting relation to each other. Each of these conductors is preferably in the form of a single length of material looped to form two parallel strands and I will now describe the manner in which they are mounted.

Pivotally mounted as at 25 on the extension 23, there is an arm 26, the lower end of which has a slotted extension 21 the slot of which receives a bolt or stud 28 electrically connected by a conductor 29 with a suitable terminal 3D. The lower end of the conductor 2D is looped about a stud or bolt 3I carried by the arm 26, the upper end of the conductor 20 being looped about a stud or bolt 32. The stud or bolt 32 is carried by a plate 33, which in turn is pivotally mounted as at 34 upon the lower angular end of an arm 35. The arm 35 is pivotally mounted as at 36 in a yoke member 31, which is adjustably mounted in a bracket 38 by means of a thumb screw 39. The arm 35 carries a stop 40 which is adapted for engagement with the upper edge of the plate 33 to limit the upward pivotal movement of the plate 33 about its pivotal point 34. Attached as at 4I to the plate 33 there is a spring 42, the upper end of which is connected as at 43 to a sliding member 44 operated by a thumb nut 45. By this construction and arrangement of parts, by adjustment of the tension of the spring 42 the tension of the conductor 2l! may be varied since the spring 42 under tension tends to rock the plate 33 about its pivotal point 34. y

Pivotally mounted upon the extension 24 as at 46 there is an arm 41, the lower end of which is provided with a slotted angular extension 48,"the

slot of which receives a bolt or stud 49 electrically connected with a terminal 50 by a conductor 5I. The conductor 2| is looped about a stud or bolt 52 carried by the upper end of the arm 41, the I,

upper end of said conductor being looped around a stud or the like 53 carried by a plate 54 which is pivoted as at 55 upon the lower angular end of an arm 56. The arm 55 is pivotally mounted as at 51 in a yoke member 58 adjustably mounted in a bracket 59 by means of a thumb bolt 6D. Connected as at 6I to the plate 5G, there is a spring 65, the upper end of which is connected as at 6E to a sliding member S'I which is operated by a thumb bolt 68. The arm 55 carries a stop 69 with which the upper edge of the plate 54 is adapted to engage to limit the pivotal movement of the plate about its pivotal point 55. By this construction, tension of the conductor 2l may be adjusted.

The upper end of the arm 35 has a slotted angular extension T, the slot of which receives a stud or the like 'II which is electrically connected by a conductor 'I2 with a terminal 13.`

The upper end of the armV 56 is provided with a slotted angular extension 74, the slot of which receives a stud or bolt "I5, which is electrically connected with a terminal I6 by a conductor l1.

The conductor 20 carries a mask 30 slotted or provided with a slit 8l, and the conductor 2| carries a mask 82 slotted or provided with a slit 83, and the conductors and masks are so arranged that the slits will occupy positions at right angles to each other as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing. The masks may be formed from any suitable material and for this purpose I prefer to use a thin metallic foil, the body of which has extensions such as illustrated at 85 adapted to `wrap or fold around the strands of the conductors in the manner shown.

The device operates in the following manner.

The panel 22 is mounted in any suitable manner in the space between the coils I and l I, in which position the conductors 20 and 2| will be positioned in the magnetic eld of said coils.

The conductors 20 and 2| carry the currents to be tested and under the influence of conditions present in these currents, the conductors will be caused to vibrate or caused to move relatively to each other, thus effecting relative movement of the masks.

It is to be understood that the conductors and masks will be so adjusted that the intersection of the slits of the masks will produce a square spot of light upon the screen I5.

With the parts and conditions such as described, if either mask is moved alone, a straight bright line will be traced upon the screen while relative movement of both masks simultaneously will result in the tracing of the well known gures upon the screen I5, for example a hysteresis loop as illustrated at B in Figure 1.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a new and novel in strument by which the characteristics of electrical currents may be measured and determined in a more eflicient manner than is possible with instruments of those types commonly employed. While I have illustrated the invention in its preferred form it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to the precise construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and that it may be carried out in many other forms without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Having thus ldescribed the invention, what is claimed as new is: 1. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic field, a plurality of pairs of continuous electrical conductors resiliently supported to extend through Said iield in dfelt directions and intersecting each other, and a slotted mask carried by each of said pairs of conductors and so mounted that the slots of the masks intersect each other.

2. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic eld, a plurality of electrical conductors supported to extend through said eld in intersecting relation to each other, each of said conductors comprising two parallel strands having electrical connection with each other, and intersecting masks carried by said conductors.

3. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic eld, a plurality of independent resiliently mounted pairs of electrical conductors each pair of which is capable of being influenced by a separate current passed therethrough, and a slotted mask carried by each of said pairs of conductors, said masks being spaced from each other and arranged with their slots in intersecting relation.

4. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic field, a plurality of independent resiliently mounted pairs of electrical conductors each pair of which is capable of being influenced by a separate current passed therethrough, a slotted mask carried by each of said pairs of conductors, said masks being spaced from each other and arranged with their slots in intersecting relation, and means for independently adjusting each of said pairs of conductors and said masks relative to each other.

5. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic field, a plurality of in-v dependent resiliently mounted electrical conductors under tension, a mask carried by each of said conductors, and means for adjusting the relative positions and tension of said conductors and the position of said slotted masks carried thereby.

, 6. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic field, a plurality of independent electrical conductors, a mask carried by each of said conductors, and means for adjusting the relative positions of said conductors and the slotted masks carried thereby, said last mentioned means including means for placing said conductors under tension.

7. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic field, a plurality of electrical conductors, means for supporting said electrical conductors in said magnetic field in intersecting relation, a slotted mask carried by each of said conductors and arranged therein in such manner that the slots of the mask intersect each other, means for adjusting the relative positions of said masks, and separate means for adjusting the tension of said conductors.

8. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic eld, a plurality of electrical conductors, means for supporting said electrical co-nductors in said magnetic field in intersecting relation, a slotted mask carried by each of said conductors, said masks being so positioned on the conductors that the slots of the masks intersect each other, means for individually adjusting said conductors and their masks, and separate means for adjusting the tension of said conductors.

9. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic fleld, a plurality of electrical conductors, pivoted means for supporting said electrical conductors in said magnetic eld in intersecting relation, a slotted mask carried by each of said conductors, said masks being so positioned on the conductors that the slots of the masks intersect each other, and means for individually adjusting said conductors and their masks, said last mentioned means including the pivoted conductor supporting means.

10. A light beam instrument comprising means for producing a magnetic field, a plurality of pairs of continuous electrical conductors resiliently supported to extend through said eld, with one pair of conductors intersecting the other pair of conductors, and a slotted mask carried by each of said pairs of conductors and so mounted that the slots of the masks intersect each other.

JESSE B. SHERMAN. 

